Fixture for securing an electrical connector

Abstract

A fixture for securing an electrical connector, such as an outlet plate, includes a flat rectangular portion and elongated legs that can be fabricated during a single manufacturing step. The flat rectangular portion has a central opening with parallel sides at which the legs are bent. The legs of one side are staggered with respect to the legs of the other side. During installation the central rectangular opening is used as a template for marking where an opening is to be cut in a wall, and then the legs are inserted into the wall opening and bent outward to secure the opening to the wall. The connector element is then screwed to the flat rectangular portion of the fixture.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. A fixture for mounting an electrical connector element in an opening in a panel, the connector element having a plurality of openings to accommodate mounting screws, comprising: a sheet metal element having a substantially flat portion with an opening therein, said opening having first and second spaced-apart ends and first and second spaced-apart sides that are substantially parallel, .Iadd.said first and second sides being longer than said first and second ends, said substantially flat portion having a hole adjacent said first end of said opening and substantially equally distant from said first and second sides, said substantially flat portion additionally having a hole adjacent said second end of said opening and substantially equally distant from said first and second sides, .Iaddend.     a plurality of first elongated legs joining said substantially flat portion at respective first bent regions that are disposed along said first side of said opening at first predetermined distances from said first end, each first leg being longer than half the distance between said first and second sides, and   a plurality of second elongated legs joining said substantially flat portion at respective second bent regions that are disposed along said second side of said opening at second predetermined distances from said first end, said second predetermined distances being different from said first predetermined distances to stagger said second legs with respect to said first legs so that said legs alternate from a first leg to a second leg, for all of said legs, from one of said ends to the other of said ends, each second leg being longer than half the distance between said first and second sides; and   screw securing means disposed on said substantially flat portion .Iadd.at said holes .Iaddend.for securing the mounting screws. .[.2. The fixture of claim 1,.]. .Iadd.A fixture for mounting an electrical connector element in an opening in a panel, the connector element having a plurality of openings to accommodate mounting screws, comprising:   a sheet metal element having a substantially flat portion with an opening therein, said opening having first and second spaced-apart ends and first and second spaced-apart sides that are substantially parallel,     a plurality of first elongated legs joining said substantially flat portion at respective first bent regions that are disposed along said first side of said opening at first predetermined distances from said first end, each first leg being longer than half the distance between said first and second sides, and   a plurality of second elongated legs joining said substantially flat portion at respective second bent regions that are disposed along said second side of said opening at second predetermined distances from said first end, said second predetermined distances being different from said first predetermined distances to stagger said second legs with respect to said first legs so that said legs alternate from a first leg to a second leg, for all of said legs, from one of said ends to the other of said ends, each second leg being longer than half the distance between said first and second sides; and   screw securing means disposed on said substantially flat portion for securing the mounting screws, .Iaddend.   wherein said substantially flat portion has at least one screw opening adjacent said first end and at least one screw opening adjacent said second end, and wherein said screw securing means comprises, for each opening, a fastener clip affixed to said substantially flat portion at the   
     
     
        respective screw opening. 3. The fixture of claim 1, wherein said screw securing means comprises at least one dimple projecting from said substantially flat portion adjacent said first end and at least one dimple projecting from said substantially flat portion adjacent said second end, .Iadd.said holes being centrally disposed in .Iaddend.said dimples 
     
     
        .[.having centrally disposed openings therein.].. 4. The fixture of claim 1, wherein said .[.substantially flat portion has at least one irregular opening adjacent said first end and at least one irregular opening adjacent said second end,.]. .Iadd.holes are irregular in shape, .Iaddend.and wherein said screw securing means comprises, for each irregular .[.opening,.]. .Iadd.hole .Iaddend.a plurality of screw 
     
     
        engagement legs provided by the .[.opening.]. .Iadd.hole .Iaddend.. 5. The fixture of claim 4, wherein said irregular .[.openings.]. .Iadd.holes 
     
     
        .Iaddend.are generally H-shaped. 6. The fixture of claim 1, wherein said panel is a wall in a building and wherein said connector element is an 
     
     
        outlet plate. 7. The fixture of claim 6, wherein said outlet plate is a television outlet plate for conveying a television signal into a room of 
     
     
        said building. 8. The fixture of claim 6, wherein said opening in said substantially flat portion is a rectangle providing template means for 
     
     
        marking said wall to provide a path for cutting an opening therein. 9. The fixture of claim 6, wherein said sheet metal element is rectangular, wherein said opening in said sheet metal opening is rectangular, and 
     
     
        wherein said legs are rectangular. .Iadd.10.  The fixture of claim 1, wherein said sheet metal element is a unitary element. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. The fixture of claim 1, wherein said panel has a rear surface and a front surface which faces the interior of a room, wherein said substantially flat portion has a front surface which faces away from said panel and a rear surface which faces said front surface of said panel, and wherein said legs pass through said opening in said panel and engage said rear surface of said panel to secure said sheet metal element to said panel. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. The fixture of claim 11, wherein said electrical connector is an outlet plate and wherein said mounting screws secure said outlet plate adjacent said front surface of said substantially flat portion. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The fixture of claim 12, in combination with said panel, said outlet plate, and said mounting screws. .Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.  .  A fixture for mounting an electrical connector plate over an aperture in a panel having front and rear surfaces, the connector plate having a plurality of openings to accommodate mounting screws, comprising: a unitary sheet metal element having a substantially flat portion with a substantially rectangular opening therein, said opening having first and second spaced-apart sides that are substantially parallel and third and fourth spaced-apart sides that are substantially parallel, said substantially flat portion having a front surface which faces away from said panel and a rear surface which faces said front surface of said panel, said substantially flat portion additionally having a pair of spaced-apart holes which lie along a line substantially parallel to two of said sides and substantially bisecting said substantially rectangular opening,   at least one first elongated leg to pass through said aperture in said panel and engage said rear surface thereof, said at least one first leg extending from said first side of said opening, and   at least one second elongated leg to pass through said aperture in said panel and engage said rear surface thereof, said at least one second leg extending from said second side of said opening; and     screw securing means disposed on said substantially flat portion at said holes for receiving the mounting screws to attach the electrical connector plate adjacent the front surface of the substantially flat portion.   
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.15.  The fixture of claim 14, wherein there are a plurality of first elongated legs extending from said first side of said opening at respective first predetermined distances from said third side, wherein there are a plurality of second elongated legs extending from said second side of said opening at respective second predetermined distances from said third side, and wherein said second predetermined distances are different from said first predetermined distances to stagger said second legs with respect to said first legs so that said legs alternate from a first leg to a second leg, for all of said first and second legs, from one of said third and fourth sides to the other of said third and fourth sides. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The fixture of claim 14, wherein there are a plurality of first elongated legs extending from said first side of said opening, wherein there are a plurality of second elongated legs extending from said second side of said opening, wherein each first leg is longer than half the distance between said first and second sides, and wherein each second leg is longer than half the distance between said first and second sides. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The fixture of claim 14, wherein one of said holes is adjacent said third side and the other of said holes is adjacent said fourth side, and wherein said screw securing means comprises, for each of said holes, a fastener clip affixed to said substantially flat portion at the respective hole. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The fixture of claim 14, wherein said screw securing means comprises a dimple projecting from said substantially flat portion adjacent said third side and a dimple projecting from said substantially flat portion adjacent said fourth side, said holes being centrally disposed in said dimples. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The fixture of claim 14, wherein one of said holes is adjacent said third side and one of said holes is adjacent said fourth side, wherein the holes have irregular shapes, and wherein said screw securing means comprises, for each hole, a plurality of screw engagement 
     
     
        legs provided by the hole. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20.  The fixture of claim 19, 
     
     
        wherein said irregular holes are generally H-shaped. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The fixture of claim 14, wherein said panel comprises a wall in a 
     
     
        building. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22.  The fixture of claim 21, wherein said connector plate is a television outlet plate for conveying a television signal into a room of said building. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The fixture of claim 21, wherein said opening in said substantially flat portion provides template means for marking said wall to provide a path for cutting an opening therein. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. The fixture of claim 21 wherein said sheet metal element is rectangular, and wherein said legs are rectangular. 
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.25.  The fixture of claim 14, in combination with said panel, said electrical connector plate, and said mounting screws. .Iaddend.